tariant

Tariant is a term that appears only sporadically in English-language writing and does not have a widely accepted definition. In encyclopedic contexts it is best described as a neologism used to denote something that varies or a particular kind of variant. The lack of standardization means that meanings differ between sources, and some authors treat it as a generic descriptor rather than a technical term.

In linguistic discussions, tariant has occasionally been used to refer to a variant form within inflection or phonology—an alteration that is not a separate lemma but a contextual variant. In computing and data modelling, a handful of authors have used “tariant” to discuss a variant value or a composite type that can assume multiple shapes, though “variant” and related terms are more common. Outside scholarly use, “tariant” also appears as a brand name or project title in niche contexts.

Because the term is not standardized, readers should consult the specific source for the intended meaning when encountering tariant. See also: variant, allomorph, polymorphism, sum type. References: none.